


Power or Preference

by Ariaofthewinds



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Carey and Killian have a fight, Comedic Miscommunication, Comedy, Complete, F/F, M/M, Mystery, Relationship(s), Secret Relationship, Things go sideways, things would be simpler if people were direct, well secret in the fact that Taako just doesn't tell people
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-19 17:42:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9452729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ariaofthewinds/pseuds/Ariaofthewinds
Summary: It is a truth universally acknowledged that when one sees a man in a three piece suit, there are two options. Option one is the man in the suit is incredibly powerful. Option two is that the man is a complete nerd for wearing a suit to the Chug N' Squeeze.Carey and Killian cannot decide. Join us on their adventure to decide whether or not Taako's date is completely powerful or a complete nerd.





	1. The Question

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Before we begin, I'd like to thank ofdreamsanddoodle on tumblr (verboseDescription on here) for making a post in December about the various Bureau employees trying to figure out who in blue blazes is Taako dating. I saw the post the other day, and this fic was born of it. Thank you so much for making that post!! 
> 
> If you'd like to see the original post, you can look at it here: http://ofdreamsanddoodles.tumblr.com/post/154078926605/i-really-love-the-idea-of-simple-misunderstandings
> 
> Now, onto the show.

**Opening Salvo:**

            The first time Taako brings the man to the Chug n’ Squeeze, Carey and Killian don’t pay attention. They’re busy giggling at each other’s failed attempts to make vases, leaning in close to each other and enjoying the fact they’re here and they’re together. The second time, Carey notices what Taako’s date is wearing. “Look at that nerd,” she whispers, fingers carving circles into her bowl.

            Killian glances over at the far corner. It’s finally bowl night, but Taako isn’t making a bowl. He’s making a vase, a stupidly intricate vase that is pure Taako. “Does he ever go along with what the instructor says?”

            “Of course not.” Carey rolls her eyes and bumps her hip into Killian’s. “But I’m not talking about Taako. Look at the guy he’s with. What a nerd.”

            Killian isn’t sure what Carey means by that. Taako’s companion has neither the skill nor the grace of the wizard, but that’s not the reason Killian frowns. No, the man feels wrong, in his too carefully tailored suit. He makes Killian’s hackles rise, an animal reaction. He shouldn’t be here. He’s _wrong_.

            “Babe, what is it?” Carey’s got a hand on Killian’s arm, scales cool against Killian’s flesh. “He’s just a nerd; what sort of guy wears a suit like that?”

            “Someone with the power to back it up.” Killian shifts, watching the man’s bowl collapse. Taako comes to the rescue within moments, building the clay back up into a bowl and whispering something into the man’s ear. Something that makes the man in the suit flush red.

            Amazing. Killian didn’t know Taako could whisper. Also didn’t know that a man could blush luminescently but she learned something new every day. Still didn’t make the Danger! senses turn off either.

            “Gods, you’re so suspicious. He’s obviously one of those goths. Look at how inept he is at making bowls. Would a powerful person fuck up a bowl that badly?”

            The man’s bowl died again, and Taako’s already rescuing it. Attempting to, at any rate. Half of it is on the ceiling, and not even Taako can salvage all of that.  “He could be doing it on purpose.”

            “Nah, he’s hopeless. How much you want to bet he collects coins or something. Only a coin collector dresses like he’s attending a funeral to a couples’ night.”

            “Or an assassin.” At Carey’s eye ridge lift, Killian scowls. “You know. An out classin’ assassin.”

            “An assassin wouldn’t date Taako. They would kill Taako. The dude’s some sort of nerd.”

            “It doesn’t matter,” Killian grumbles, returning to her bowl. “After one night with Taako, who would come back?”

            The man is back next week, the week after that, and Killian won’t talk about him even though six months have passed. Refuses to. The man doesn’t even notice them; he’s wrapped up in Taako and Taako’s wrapped up in him, and Killian would label it as gross if she didn’t recognize herself and Carey in them. Instead, she does what any reasonable adult half orc would do in this situation: stew about it.

            “He’s fine, Killian. What can he even do? He can’t even make a pot.” This evening’s creation hasn’t ended up on the ceiling, but the night is young. “He probably just prefers suits because he knows he looks good in them.”

            “He’s got to be hiding something.” Killian squeezes her pot and the clay seeps over her fingers. “Only someone with power wears a suit like that. It’s a statement.”

            “I’ll prove it. I’ll prove he’s a giant nerd who just likes wearing suits.” Carey stands up, only for Killian to grab her by the tail and haul her back down.

            “Don’t provoke him. He’ll do. I don’t know. Stuff. Bad stuff.” It’s woefully understating the vibes Killian’s picking up, and Carey can tell. The dragonborn wrinkles her snout.

            “You’re overthinking this. How about this…”

            Killian hides a groan behind a nod. Carey figures it out anyways, and flicks Killian’s arm. “How about this. If I can prove that tall, dark, and nerdy is harmless and just likes wearing three piece suits, you owe me a dinner and I get to say I told you so. But if you’re right, and Mr. Nerd turns out to be a mass murdering fuckhead, you get to say I told you so, and I’ll… I’ll do something.”

            “Anything I want to do for a night.”

            “Deal.” Carey slams her fist into her palm, smirking triumphantly. “I’ll prove to you he’s so harmless, a butterfly can defeat him.”

            A glop of clay smacks Carey in the face, and the women turn to look at Taako and his date. Taako wiggles his fingers. “Let me get that off you, homie. Bubbale here is still learning,” he says, a mage hand popping out of existence and scooping the clay off Carey’s face. Taako’s date buries his face in his hands, mumbling.

            “It’s no problem, Taako!” Carey casts a triumphant grin in Killian’s direction, a Ha! Take that smirk that makes Killian scowl. “Having fun?”

            “Totally.” Taako dumps the clay back onto the wheel and leans in towards his date, attention diverted.

            “See, what sort of dangerous man is that inept with clay?” Carey crows quietly, shaping her pot into a low trestle. “He’s got to be a nerd. Harmless. Unless he’s got clay in his hands.”

            “He’s going to kill us in our sleep.”

            “Tch. Negative nancy, that’s what you’re being. Just watch! I’ll get together a crew, and we’ll prove that Suit Man is harmless!”

 

**Magnus and Ango Join the Fray:**

            “So let me get this straight.” Carey’s invited Magnus to the quad after dinner. Training’s been intense the past few weeks, ever since they’ve returned from Wonderland, and a part of Magnus still hasn’t recovered from aging ten years in a second. He’s a lot more sympathetic to Merle now, who’s ancient. How the dwarf kept up, Magnus doesn’t know. “We’re going to be investigating… Taako.”

            “Taako’s paramour, sir!” Angus scribbles notes onto his pad, nose scrunched in concentration.

            “Yeah!” Carey crosses her arms, her tail swinging from side to side behind her. “Killian thinks he’s dangerous, but I think he’s just one of those office types. You know, the kind who feel naked if they’re not wearing a suit.”

            “Is he naked?” Magnus asks, trying to imagine who Taako would like. Someone colorful, probably. Into fashion and cooking. Magic too. Maybe a magic chef? No wait, that was Taako, and Taako can’t date himself.

            Or could he? If anyone could, it would be Taako.

            “No, he’s got a suit on! Like. A businessman. But he’s got hair rolls. Uh. Shit, what’s that hairstyle called again?”

            “Odongos?”

            “Do you mean odango hair, sir? Like the magical girl anime hairstyle?”

            “Maybe?” Magnus doesn’t know for sure. Julia watched that sort of thing and it’s been years. His heart twists.

            “No! It’s… rows… well like but not cornrows… Dreadlocks! He has dreadlocks.” Carey rolls back on her heels, grinning. “He has dreadlocks and a really fancy suit. Like. Cosplayer level dedication three-piece suit. But that’s not important! Well it is, ugh.”

            “What’s so important about him? Besides being… Taako’s boyfriend?” Why wouldn’t Taako tell them that he was dating someone? That’s what friends did, talk about boyfriends and their lives, and what they were doing that weekend, and…

            “Killian thinks he’s dangerous! Which he’s not! He’s just one of those weird otaku people.  And I need your help to prove that!”

            “Why don’t you just go ask Taako?” It’s the simplest solution. Taako loves to talk. If he’s dating someone, he’d love to talk about his boyfriend, right? Unless he didn’t want to. Which, Magnus considers, is a distinct possibility. Magnus knows he has things he doesn’t want to talk about. Maybe that’s how Taako is with his boyfriend. Doesn’t want to talk about him and doesn’t want people to ask questions about him either.

            “Magnus! Magnus, have you learned nothing from our training?” Carey grabs Magnus’s face and brings him down to her eye level, which makes him bend in half. “We rogues don’t charge in. We gather information. Observe. Reflect. Sneak around…”

            “Perhaps it would be more prudent to just ask in this case?” Angus squeaks when Carey grabs him and drags him into the huddle. “Ma’am, I—“

            “Shuuush, Angus. You’re a boy detective, right?” She pats his face delicately, like she was about to pickpocket money out of the boy’s cheek. “You know how important it is to not scare off the suspect. If Taako thinks we’re following him, he’ll take his date off Moon Base. And then how would we confirm the date is a nerd? Besides, you of all people should know Taako hates personal questions.”

            Angus stares into the middle distance, nibbling on the end of his pencil. “That is true. Sir certainly does hate inquiries about his person and habits.”

            “Exactly!” Carey pauses, glancing about to make sure no one is around, before she pulls Magnus and Angus in closer. “Look, besides this fight with Killian, which we have to win, we ought to make sure this guy is up to snuff for Taako, right?”

            “I don’t think sir would—“

            “I’d like to know who’s dating Taako. Gotta keep our buddy safe.” Magnus squeezes Angus’s shoulder. That’s not the entire truth. Magnus wants to know who this guy is, that Taako won’t talk about. Maybe Killian is right, about this guy being trouble. Maybe Carey is right, and he’s just a nerd. But more importantly… “We don’t want Carey and Killian to keep fighting over this, right?”

            Angus frowns, his shoulders slumped. “I don’t think Sir would like us to be prying into his personal business.”

            “Well, he’s got to be dating a Bureau employee, right? Cuz he’s up here.” Carey waits for Angus to nod before continuing. “So think of it this way, Angus. We’re just trying to get to know our new coworker.”

            “It still feels wrong. I—“ Angus slumps. “You’ll do it without me, won’t you?”

            “Yep,” Carey says. “I’ll do it without both of you if I have to. “

            “What’s the worst that can happen?” Magnus asks, throwing his doubts to the wind. They can do this quickly, stop Carey and Killian’s fight, and things can go back to normal. Or as normal as things are at the Bureau. “I bet he’s a nice guy!”

            Carey slugs Magnus’s bicep, grinning wildly. “Exactly! Now, let’s get investigating. Someone has to have seen him around!”

            “Why do I feel like this is a bad idea?” Angus mumbles as he’s dragged away. “Sir’s going to be mad…”

 

**Merle** **Weighs In:**

            “Really?” It’s not the best place to interrogate Merle. It is the dining room after all, and the buzz is loud enough that they’re half yelling, half whispering in a conglomeration that only can occur at concerts and lunchrooms. At least Merle didn’t lose his hearing in Wonderland. Just some of his sight. And some memories. And—

            Magnus forces himself to not dwell on it. They all gave things up in Wonderland. Instead, he shifts in the hard plastic seat and leans forward. “Yeah. Taako’s been running around with some anime guy.”

            “Who said that?” Merle scratches at his eyepatch, his other hand swinging the beer bottle up to his mouth. He hits the corner first, and then gets it in.

            “Miss Carey did. She’s off trying to figure out if Sir’s boyfriend is around today. And she didn’t say he was an anime guy. She just called him an—”

            Magnus waves Angus off. “She called him an otaku or something, which is something I don’t know. Anime was mentioned.”

            “Technically—“ Magnus ruffles Angus’s hair.

            “Don’t worry about it Ango, close enough. Anyways, Merle, have you seen Taako with anyone?”

            Merle stares long and hard with his good eye. Magnus clears his throat. “Uh, heard…?”

            “Not really.” Merle takes a long swig of his beer. “There was some guy in a suit? Really fancy. Thought he was a Bureau employee, and honestly? I don’t want to know what Taako gets up to in his free time. Do you really want to?”  

            “Nah, but Carey and Killian are fighting over the guy, so I thought I’d help them.”

            “What’re they fighting over?”

            “Whether or not this man is dangerous or a nerd,” Angus supplies, and Merle squints at Angus.

            “That sounds like bullshit.”

            “It’s not, Merle. Ango’s right. We’re just going to answer this question and leave them alone.”

            “Taako’s going to know you’re stalking him. He’s a sponge, he soaks up attention. He _knows_.” Merle sets the beer bottle down and pinches his nose. “Just leave him and the weirdo alone. He’s just a dude in a suit.”

            Magnus slams his palms on the table, rattling the beer bottle. Merle snatches it before it can fall off the edge. “Ha! So you’ve seen him! What’s he look like!”

            “A guy? I don’t know, it was late. Taako had his tongue shoved down the guy’s craw, and his hands were… migrating down the suit. I didn’t really want to see that shit. Even with my shit eyesight.”

            Angus goes white, his jaw slack. Magnus squeezes the kid’s shoulder. “Not in front of the kid, Merle. He’s like. Five.”

            “Sir, I’m actually—“

            “A kiddo,” Magnus says firmly. “Don’t need to hear those details.”

            “He’s got to learn sometime. He won’t be a kid forever.” The beer bottle returns to Merle’s hand and he drinks deep. “But yeah. It’s just some guy in a suit. Probably one of the bean counters here. He couldn’t be up here if he wasn’t. I don’t see why Carey and Killian are freaking out over it.”

            “Did you talk to him?”

            Merle finishes off his beer bottle. “Remember what I just said?”

            “Carey and Killian—“

            “No, no, before that. About tongues. And hands?”

            Angus makes a meeping sound and buries his face into his notepad. Magnus pats Angus on the back. A bit too hard, as it sends the young detective lurching forward. “Sorry Ango.”

            “That’s okay sir. But if what Merle says is true, and he is one of the bean counters, maybe we could ask some of the senior members if they know Sir’s paramour.”

            “Well that’s a twenty dollar word, kid. How come you can say that, but me mentioning—“

            Magnus puts his hand over Merle’s mouth. “So Angus, who do you think we should ask?”

            The boy detective purses his lips as he thinks, eyes and nose scrunched up. “Well, Mr. Leon has been here a long time, and so has Mr. Johan. I think they were among the founding members. And of course, Mr. Avi. Since he lets everyone on and off the base, he ought to know who Taako’s boyfriend is.”

            Magnus nods. “Yeah! Yeah, that’s smart, Ango.  Who should we ask first though?”

            “Leon. He’s over there in the corner.” Merle jerks his thumb over his shoulder, gesturing at the corner furthest from their table. It’s dark, but at a small, circular table, a small gnome sits, hunched over his food and shoveling it into his mouth as fast as possible. It’s like he’s afraid someone is going to come up and take his food, which makes no sense to Magnus. There’s plenty of food up at the counter.

            “Thanks Merle. You wanna come with?”

            “Nope. I’m staying out of this. Too old for this shit.” Merle opens another beer. “It’s my day off.”

            That makes— wait. “We don’t get days off, Merle. We’re supposed to be training later.”

            “I will be training my tolerance.”

            “Sir, if you drink too much alcohol—“

            Merle waves him off. “I know kid. I know what it does. Just go solve your mystery.”

            “It’ll be okay Ango. Merle know how to handle this.” Magnus ruffles Angus’s hair as he stands up. His bulk forces the passersby to take a step back, and Angus steps into the gap in front of Magnus. “Let’s go do some digging.”

 

**Leon:**

            Leon runs away from them. Magnus is twenty feet away, and the gnome artificer screams, shoving the last of his food into his mouth, and jumping over the table.

            “Wait, Leon, I’ve got a question about Taako’…”

            “NO! Not Taako! Not Taako!” The gnome dives under a table and pops out the other side. All Magnus can do is watch and stare as Leon bolts, sobbing into his hands.

            “Sir, what did you do to him?” Angus asks, note pad dangling loosely in his hands.

            Magnus scratches his head. “I have no idea, Ango. Maybe he’s having a bad day?”

            Angus stares as the gnome launches himself out an open window and out of sight. “He must be having a very bad day, sir. I hope he’s okay.”

            “Me too, Ango. Me too.” 


	2. Following the Trail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having assembled a crack team of investigators, the crew sets out to find some more clues! Join us as we talk to some senior BoB members to get some intel.

  **Johan Strikes a Chord:**

Carey rejoins them on the way down to the Voidfish room, the elevator only mildly crowded because of Magnus’s bulk. “You guys think of Johan too?” she asks, adjusting her belt. Her thieves’ tools clink at the gentle motion of the elevator’s descent.

            “Ango did!” Magnus grins like a dad whose kid just walked for the first time. “Since he’s one of the founding members.”

            “And Mister Johan cares for the Voidfish, and anyone who works for the Bureau has to be inoculated. That means Mister Johan must have met Taako’s paramour at some point, even if it was only once.” Angus puffs out his chest and looks up at Magnus.

            Magnus flashes the kid a thumbs up. “Ango’s right! So we thought Johan would be the best place to look next, since Merle didn’t know much.”

            Carey tilts her head. “What did he know?”

            “Uh. Private things.” Magnus makes a gesture with his hands, only for Carey to tilt her head, confused. “You know. Uh.” Magnus gestures again, out of Angus’s sight. “Fun times.”

            Carey stares for a moment, before it clicks and she slides a hand over her face. “Oh. Well. I guess that speaks more to nerd than to powerful.”

            “Sure?” The elevator dings, the doors sliding open to reveal the Voidfish’s chamber. The giant fish floats in her home, tentacles swaying side to side as a much smaller half elf feeds sheets of paper into the slot. When the trio step into the room, the Voidfish twirls, tentacles reaching out to stroke the glass. “Hey Voidfish! Hey Johan!”

            The Voidfish sings, and the half elf turns, customary melancholy expression plastered onto his face. “Hey guys. What brings you here?”

            “We have some questions for you!” Carey stalks across the floor, her feet silent in spite of her boots. “What do you know about Taako’s boyfriend?”

            “Uh. What? Taako has a boyfriend?” Johan straightens up, his lute bumping against his back. “Shouldn’t like… you know that Magnus?”

            It shouldn’t sting, and yet it does. “Ah well, you know Taako.” Magnus chuckles awkwardly as Johan strokes his chin.

            “Yeah, that’s true. Private guy, that Taako is. So why ask me? It’s not like I know who Taako is dating.”

            “But sir, don’t you know all Bureau employees?” Angus finally arrives, his short legs slowing him down in comparison to Magnus’s stride and Carey’s determination. “So you should know whom Sir is dating.”

            “I mean. Maybe?” Johan scratches his head and furrows his brow. “But there are a lot of people here. And not everyone’s like you guys. They normally only come down when they’re first recruited and then… never again.” Johan sighs and slumps. “Typical.”

            “Well, you can always try.” Carey snorts, crossing her arms over her chest. “I need to prove to Killian that she’s wrong about the nerd and he’s a total milquetoast.”

            Magnus blinks. “A who what?”

            “A nerd.” Carey rolls her eyes. “Keep up Magnus! We’ve got an argument to win.”

            “What’s Taako’s boyfriend got to do with an argument?” Johan asks. “Like. Isn’t anyone who hangs out with Taako dangerous? He is like. A reclaimer.”

            “Nah!” Carey taps her fingers against her thighs. “You guys haven’t seen him at the Chug ‘n Squeeze. This guy can’t even get a clay wheel to work right. He’s a total nerd and Killian’s overthinking this.”

            “I mean… well.” Johan pauses, thinking. “I won’t know if you don’t tell me what he’s like.”

            “Well he’s a nerd,” Carey says, ignoring Angus’s small sigh. “And he’s always in these like… three piece suits. You know.” She tugs on her shirt and gestures up and down. “Fancy. Like a Fantasy Black Butler cosplayer.”

            Johan perks up. “You watch that too?”

            “No! That’s not important!” Carey stamps her foot and ignores the trill from the Voidfish.  “What’s important is that he dresses like a nerd!”

            “And that he’s got dreadlocks! Right Ango?” Magnus playfully elbows Angus. The boy detective gets bumped to the side, but he sheepishly smiles.

            “Right sir! And migrating hands, like Mister Merle said!”

             Johan’s eyes go wide and he clasps his hands together. “Migrating? What do they like… detach?”

             “No... maybe?” Magnus hadn’t thought of that possibility. Back in his day, migrating hands had meant…

             “No, his hands don’t detach! I’ve seen them, they’re firmly attached. Like barnacles to a boat.” Carey huffs, leaning against the Voidfish’s tank. The Voidfish pets the glass by the dragonborn, notes increasing in frequency. “He’s a normal human. Killian just won’t accept that.”

              Johan starts. “Human with dreadlocks? Like, a tall black dude?”

             “Yeah!” Carey launches herself at Johan, covering the gap in a millisecond. “Do you know him?”

              “Uh….” Johan looks anywhere but at Carey. “Maybe? There was a black dude in the quad a few weeks ago. We talked about composition. He was pretty talented. Nowhere near my level, of course, but he could write a mean minuet. Think his name was Krav or something.”

            Carey jumps on Johan and pulls him into a hug, “You have _his name. You’re the best!”_

            “Uh…. you’re welcome?” Johan blinks at the top of Carey’s head, and then at Magnus and Angus. “But I only met him that once. Seemed like a cool enough dude.”

            “You said his name was Krav?” Angus scribbles in his notebook, adjusting his glasses. He stops, pencil held against the paper.

            Magnus kneels down beside the frozen detective. “Do you know him Ango?” 

            The boy detective shakes his head furiously. “No Sir! I don’t think I know him at all, I just. Was reminded of someone.” 

            “Who?” Carey drops Johan and pushes the bard away. He falls flat on his rump.

            “No one!” Angus smiles wide, voice cracking. “I just think that’s an interesting name. Krav. Sounds important. Sounds...”

             Carey lifts Angus, who squeaks. “If you finish that sentence with the word dangerous, I will scream. It won’t be a pretty scream. It’ll be an ugly, ugly scream.”

              “...nerdy?” Carey sets Angus back down and pats him on the head.

              “Good boy.”

               “Ahaha,” Angus adjust his glasses and shuffles closer to Magnus. “Thanks Ma’am.”

               “Carey,” The Dragonborn corrects, straightening up and staring up at the Voidfish with her hands on her hips. “We’re one step closer to proving this Krav guy is a nerd. He’s even got a nerdy name. _Krav.”_

                For some reason, Magnus feels like he knows this name. He tries to follow the thoughts, through the tangle of his mind. Krav, Srav, Pav… The name slips out of his grasp. Maybe Merle will know. “But how do we like… find him?”

               “Johan, you seem to--”

               The bard holds up his hands to ward off Carey’s verbal assault. “Like, listen. I met him once in the quad. We talked about some sick beats, and then I had to come feed the Voidfish. Left him in the Quad waiting for someone. Taako probably. I think he said they were going to go down to Neverwinter for something.”

                “Ha! So Avi has to know them!” Carey runs to the elevator. “C’mon, we’ve got another lead!”

                “Ma’am, that’s not how--”

                “Carey!” The dragonborn yells, mashing at the elevator’s call button.

                “Carey, that’s not how leads work. Actually, it kind of is, but don’t leave us behind!”

                 Magnus trots after Angus. “You coming with, Johan?”

                “Nah, I have to feed my awesome music to the Voidfish. She’s hungry.” The Voidfish sings in agreement, galaxy sparkling within. The bard pats the aquarium. “I know, I know. But yeah, you guys go have fun finding Krav. Tell him he’s welcome to come down here and talk music with me at any time.”

                Magnus salutes. “Can do. You have fun with the Voidfish.”

                “I always do,” Johan replies in a voice that says that he doesn’t.

                The elevator almost clips Magnus when he clambers inside. Almost. The last thing Magnus hears as the doors shut is Johan strumming his lute, a counterpoint to the Voidfish’s song. Carey’s rambling overtakes the song soon enough.

                “... talk to Avi and see what sort of date they went on, and it’ll be like. One of those smooshy dates…”

                “Smooshy?” Angus stands in a corner, gripping his notepad with white knuckles. Magnus frowns. What’s Ango so worried about?

                “Yeah! Like. A romantic restaurant, with spaghetti and candles. Smooshy.” Carey waves her hands. “It doesn’t matter! We’ll find out the date, and then we’ll tell Killian, and she’ll have to agree with me then that this, this Krav person wears a three piece suit because he prefers it, not cuz he’s powerful.”

                “I hope so,” Angus replies, and even Magnus can hear the doubt in the boy’s voice.

                It makes Magnus try even harder to remember why Krav sounds familiar.

 

**Avi Pops the Bubble:**

The launch area for the Bureau is deserted. The only time Magnus sees people here is when they come back from a mission or when he, Merle, and Taako are about to go on one. Magnus doesn’t even see Avi at first, and the only thing he hears is their shoes rapping against the floor. Otherwise, only empty cannonballs sit in their docks, waiting for their next passenger

            “Hey Avi! Aviiiii!!” Carey cups her hands around her mouth, progressively getting louder. “Yooo, we need your help!”

            From behind the nearest ball, Avi’s head pops out, wiping his mouth clean with a hand. “Hey Carey! What brings you down here? And where’s Killian?”

            “She’s busy! We’re on a mission, Avi, and we need your help.”

            The man emerges from behind the ball, tucking a flask back into his pocket. “Oh no,” he says good naturedly. “What sort of help?”

            “Have you seen Taako with a dude? Tall, in a nerdy suit? Like a nerdy nerd? ” Carey goes up onto her tip toes and holds her hand above her head. “This tall??”

            “The only people I see Taako with are Magnus and Merle. Hi Magnus, Angus.” Avi half waves, and Magnus returns it with a full wave.

            “Hey Avi! Doing okay?” Magnus beams, ignoring how Angus starts to chew on his lip. “Been a while. Guess that’s cuz we haven’t found any more relics, but yeah.”

            “We’ll find the last relic soon enough. We’ve got Angus on the case.” Avi makes a thumbs up at Angus, who returns it.

            Carey throws her hands into the air. Magnus ducks out of the way to dodge the blow, just barely. Her claws whiz by his arm fast enough that the air whistles.  “That’s not important at the moment! I need to prove to Killian that this guy Taako is dating just prefers suits, not because he’s capable of leveling a building. And to do that, I need to find out what they do and what he’s like. Johan told us he was into music and that Taako went on a date with this Krav to Neverwinter, which means that they had to have come here to get down there, cuz this is the only way to even get down to the surface! So that means you have to have seen him, and thus can tell us what sort of nerd this Krav guy is. That way I can finally put this to rest and go back to making pots in peace on Wine Night!” Carey is panting by the end of the speech, her chest rising and falling like a pennant flapping in a hurricane breeze. Magnus didn’t count a single breath taken during her speech.

            Avi takes two steps back, one for each step Carey advanced while on her rant. He rubs the back of his head and aims his gaze at the ceiling. “Well, Taako’s never come down here with a guy. Like I said, he only comes with Magnus here and Merle. Are you sure you don’t know him, Magnus?”

            Magnus ponders the question. A black human, named Krav who’s into music and Taako. Magnus has known a lot of people in his life, from Raven’s Roost to the Bureau, and he doesn’t know anyone who can fit into all of those categories. Not anyone who’s been friendly to Taako. “I dunno. Taako never really talks about his personal life. Or his past.”

            “Not unusual. We’re a motley crew here at the Bureau.” Avi fiddles with the flask he put in his pocket. “Are you sure Taako’s not bringing him up here? He is a wizard, after all.”

            “I though the wards would stop that, Sir. Wouldn’t it require a tremendous amount of energy to surpass them?”

            Avi nods at Angus. “Kid’s right. I mean, you guys are are the strongest people here, no doubt about it, but like. I don’t know if Taako could get past the shields on his own.”

            “But what if this guy. Krav. He’s a Bureau employee, right?  What if he’s helping?” Carey rubs her chin. “But then, he’d be powerful and Killian would be right and our investigation would be for nothing…”  

            “You said his name is Krav?” Avi asks, and Magnus doesn’t like the nerves in Avi’s eyes. Doesn’t like the sudden frown either; it doesn’t bode well. “I’ve never met anyone named Krav here. Are you sure he’s an employee?”

            “Yeah! I’ve seen him every week with Taako! Not every week, but he comes to the Chug N’ Squeeze all the time. If he wasn’t a member of the Bureau, how could he even…”

            Angus opens his mouth; he closes it. Magnus leans in while Carey continues her rant to Avi. “You okay Ango?”

            “I’m okay.” Angus’s mouth trembles, and he stares at his shoes. He shuffles his feet, soles squeaking against the tile. Magnus waits; this is one thing he can wait for. Time passes, and Magnus is about to give up, when Angus mumbles, “I think Carey’s wrong.”

            “Why?”

            “Cuz he sounds like--”

            “FINE! We’ll find a group of people and we’ll. I don’t know. We’ll get the answers out of them.” Carey lashes her tail as she pivots and stalks to the door. She stops three steps away, and returns to grab Avi’s arm. “You’re coming with us!”

            “Wha- why? I’m supposed to stay here! What if-- Carey, not my ear!”

            Magnus winces; that pinch looks painful. “You were saying Angus?”

            “I think Killian’s right about this gentleman. And maybe we should… get everyone together. To make sure that Sir’s okay and that this Kravi.. This Krav isn’t hurting him.” Angus sniffles, rubbing his nose.

            “Aw, Ango. You know Taako doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to. I bet this Krav is a complete nerd, like Carey thinks. Taako’s fine.” Magnus hopes he’s not lying to Ango. Normally, it’s fun to fuck with the kid a little, but in this case…

            Magnus really hopes he’s not fucking around with Ango.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah, thank you so much for reading and all of the kudos that y'all have given this fic. I'm very touched. I super hope the story lives up to your expectations! In honor of today's episode, I've updated again. 
> 
> In any case, I'm looking to get the next chapter up within the next few days, so keep an eye out for the update! I appreciate y'all taking the time to read and comment on my fic. It truly makes my day.


	3. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With information in hand, the investigation crew comes together to make a decision. Survey says...

**The Gang’s All Together:**

            “So we can’t tell the director. Not yet.” Carey stands at a podium she dragged out of some storage closet. Despite living here for years, Magnus doesn’t know the base well enough to say where they keep everything. He can barely keep track of the clothing in his room. It’s a nice podium though, all white wood and fine engraving. Magnus would love to talk with whoever built it. “We don’t even know if he’s unauthorized and she’s got enough stuff to worry about.”

            “We can’t let someone wander around here without supervision though. I don’t even know how he’s doing it if he isn’t a member of the Bureau.” Avi shuffles in his seat. He’s holding his ear and some glossy paper; when Magnus leans over, he can see photos of the quad.

            “Is Taako that--”

            Killian cuts Merle off. The dwarf sits back in his seat next to Magnus, grumbling to himself.  “No. The enchantment’s set into the buildings, you’d have to be constantly casting to offset the effects. Not even Taako can do that. It has to be this Krav. And if he can do that, I don’t want him here. He’s a danger to us and our purpose. If he can get in, who else can get in?”

            “Killian. I love you, and you may be right if this is true, but until we get proof that this dude is dangerous, he’s a suit wearing nerd.” Carey shuffles through her papers on the podium. “Now, that’s what we’re doing here. I’ve called all of you here--”

            Johan raises his hand where he sits in the back corner of the room. He’s “Uh, is this going to take long? I have to feed the Voidfish again soon.”  

            Carey slams her hands down on the podium. “Johan. The Voidfish will be fine. You’re going to make the Voidfish fat if you keep feeding her all the time.”

            Johan slumps down in his seat, angrily plucking at his lute. The music is still divine in spite of the fact Johan isn’t concentrating on it. “She likes to eat though… and she’s not fat. That’s super rude, Carey.”

            “You’re right.” Carey looks abashed, and she ducks her head. “I’m sorry Johan.”

            “You better be,” Johan mumbles under his breath. “What’d the Voidfish do to you?”

            Carey continues as though she didn’t hear the bard. “I’m just. Ugh, I want to know who this ass is. Who Taako is dating and that may not be a member of the Bureau.”

            “His bracer could be under his fancy pants jacket,” Merle grumbles. “Why can’t we just leave this to Taako? It’s his business.”

            “It’s our business!” Carey and Killian yell together, and then stare at each other. Magnus holds his breath, waiting for the fight. Avi’s behind him, to the side, where Magnus can see the guard take a pull from his flask.

            It doesn’t come. The women laugh, Carey hard enough that she has to rest her forehead on top of the podium. Merle lifts a brow, the one over his lost eye, at Magnus, who shrugs. “At least they’re having fun?” Magnus says.

            Merle snorts. “We’re poking the hornet’s nest. Might as well just leave Taako to it. He’s been keeping what’s-his-fuck busy.”

            “Yeah… but I’m kind of curious now.” Who even is this Krav and why does he sound familiar. A part of Magnus knows that he ought to know this answer. It’s like school all over again, staring at the test. The words are familiar, but his brain can’t line up the answer. No matter how much Magnus chases his thoughts, things don’t click. He’s not smart. Not like Angus.

            Angus sits on Magnus’s other side, ankles crossed. He hasn’t said a word this entire time, his feet swinging back and forth, back and forth. The kid doesn’t even look up when Magnus leans over and whispers “Hey Ango.”

            Magnus pokes Angus in the cheek. “Angus?”

            The boy starts, dropping his notebook. “Yes Sir?”

            “You don’t look so good. Do you need to go sleep? It is kind of late… “It’s seven in the evening.

            Angus shakes his head furious. His cap skews on his head, and the boy detective corrects it. “No sir! I’m fine sir. Just thinking. Sir.”

            That sounds like a load of baloney and Magnus frowns. “You don’t sound okay. What’s eating your bacon?”

            “Nothing sir!” Magnus frowns, and Angus collapses, his shoulders drooping and his kicking slowing to a stop. “I don’t think Taako would like us prying into his boyfriend. I think he has a good reason for not telling us who he’s dating.”

            “Like what?”

            “Yeah,” Carey echoes. “Like what.”

            Angus freezes, eyes going wide behind his glasses.

            Carey tches. “C’mon kid, you can’t stop there! I know I interrupted your moment, but this is a team investigation! I know you seekers are used to working solo, but for now, you’re workin’ with us! I’m not going to bite.“

            “Carey’s not a biter,” Killian agrees. “She pre... Wait. You’re a kid.”

            Merle snickers. Avi can’t hide the horror on his face at the near slip. “Killian, he’s a kid!” he hisses. Killian’s ears go red.

            “I don’t know what you mean, but I think I’m fine not understanding for now.” Angus corrects his bow tie, fingers shaking. “And I’m not sure. So I don’t want to say for sure until I know. I don’t want to be wrong and ruin things for Taako since… well, this man must be making him happy, right? You’ve said that you’ve seen them together multiple times, and Taako wouldn’t do something repeatedly unless he was enjoying it.”

            “...this physically hurts me to say, but the kid has a point. Taako’s not one for doing anything… or anyone… that he doesn’t like. Or doesn’t contribute to his ego.”  Merle shrugs, levering himself to his feet. “Might as well leave it alone and go back to doing, I don’t know. Anything else?”

            Killian pushes Merle back down. “Listen. Carey wants to know. I want to know. So we’re going to find out.”

            Merle scoffs. “Taako won’t tell us unless we force him. What’re we going to do, stage an intervention???”

 

**The Intervention:**

            The Moon Base doesn’t get cold. The thermoregulators see to that, but Magnus kinda wishes it would. Sweat drips down Magnus’s back as he stands in the storage shed off the quad with Merle, Angus, and Avi. Johan begged off to go feed the Voidfish, and even though Carey chided him, no one stopped the bard from leaving. No one wanted the Director to get upset because the Voidfish was upset. Even if she might get upset because there’s someone who might not be with the Bureau on board.

            They have a plan. It’s a simple plan, mostly because Magnus doesn’t have the attention span for plans longer than six seconds and Merle doesn’t even want to take part. Killian glared the dwarf into submission and Angus came along because finding answers was his entire schtick.

            Avi helps because Avi is Avi, and Avi is nice.

            So the plan is this. They’re going to wait for Taako and this Krav guy to come out of the Chug n’ Squeeze, they’re gonna wait for Carey and Killian to come out, and they’re going to _nonchalantly_ gang up on Taako. In retrospect, the nonchalant might have worked better if the group chose different places to hide, but it’s a little too late for that. They should have thought of that three hours ago, when they got into position, not now.

            Aw well, Angus isn’t too heavy to hold up. The storage shed might be small, but there’s enough space for most of them. Sure, Merle is sandwich against Magnus’s knees and Avi’s closer to a growth on Magnus’s side, but they all fit. They all can breathe. It’s more than a little warm, but they can deal.

            Hopefully Taako and Krav leave soon; otherwise Magnus might sweat to death.

            “When’re they going to leave?  It has to be after ten.” Merle rubs at his eye patch, where the skin is preternaturally red. He’s been scratching at it since the temperature started to climb and the sweating began. Magnus would swat the hand away, but he’s got arms full of Angus.  “I’m going to leave if they aren’t here soon. Carey and Killian can solve this on their own.”

            “We can’t leave now, Merle, we promised. Besides, don’t you want to know who Taako is dating?”

            “No. I want to sleep.”

            Magnus gasps. “You can’t sleep Merle, you might miss them! Carey and Killian would be so upset.”

            “Well they can suck my--”

            Angus clears his throat. “Sirs, I hate to interrupt, but maybe we should be quieter? In case Taako and his paramour emerge.”

            Magnus nods and shifts Angus in his arms. “Ango’s right. We don’t want to give away our position.”

            “The smell’s gonna do that for us.”

            A crackling comes from Avi’s pocket and he holds up a hand as he digs in a pocket with the other. He drags out a stone of Farspeech, the surface lighting up. “Avi here.”

            “Avi??” Carey hisses. “They’ve left. Headed your way. Wait to intercept. Can you call the others?”

            “We can--” Magnus knees Merle. The dwarf gets shoved into the shed door with a large oof.

            “Avi, what was that?”

            “Nothing!” Avi says quickly, grabbing the back of Merle’s shirt and hauling him away from the door. “Roger, Carey.”

            “Carey out.”

            "You know,” Merle says after the stone stops crackling and Avi returns it to his pocket. “I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life, but I’ve got to say. This is one of the stupidest.”

            “Aw, there’s no need to be so hard on yourself, sir. You’re brilliant.”  

            “Ango’s right! I mean, yeah, you’ve done stupid things, but hasn’t everyone?” Magnus fumbles and finds Merle’s head, patting it. He stops when Merle slaps it away.

            “Guys, I hear something!” The dwarf presses his ear against the door to the shed and everyone goes still. “I think it’s them… Magnus can you see out of the gap?”

            Magnus rises to his tip toes and squints through the gap at the top of the door. Merle grunts as Magnus’s knees ram into his back and Angus covers his mouth to mask his yelp. “Yeah!”

            “Shhhh!” the other three snarl and Magnus flinches.

            “Yeah,” he says much more quietly, struggling to see through the gap. The quad is weakly lit by the lights from the buildings, but that infinitesimal light is enough to illuminate the small form that is Taako. Mostly because his shirt is more glitter than cloth. The man who walks beside Taako is the opposite; if Taako reflects light, this man absorbs it, transmutes it into a void, and Magnus finds himself staring at a very familiar, very strikingly handsome man. His mouth goes dry.

            “Well?” Merle whispers. “Can you see him?”

            “We have a problem,” Magnus mumbles.

            “Do you see him, Sir?”

            “Yeah,” Magnus says, staring as Death leans down _and snogs Taako on the mouth._ “I think Taako’s dating Death.”

            Angus slumps in Magnus’s arms. “I was afraid you were going to say that sir.”

            “How can you date death? That’s not a…” Merle stops. “That Kravitz guy?”

            “Uh-huuh.” Magnus doesn’t know whether to laugh or charge out there. How did he miss all the clues? They fucking had the first syllable of his name! “They’re really… Whoa, they need to get a room.”

            Merle rests his forehead against the door. “For once, I’m glad I can’t see well anymore.”

            “Guys, this is nice and all, but uh. Care to enlighten me?” Avi wriggles at Magnus side. “This is all really… vague.”

            “It’s a dude we met at Lucas’s lab. I think we... no I won the game and cleared our debt.”

            “Maybe Refuge added some on?” Merle grunts, pushing back against Magnus’s legs. “Why else would he be here?”

            Magnus can see at least three reasons why Kravitz would be here, and if they don’t stop the action soon, Magnus knows he’s going to see a lot more. There’s not enough bleach on the base to handle that.

            “So is he a good guy or a bad guy?” Avi asks, and the stone of Farspeech crackles.

            “Where are you guys? I can’t see you?” Carey’s voice cuts in and out. “Avi, can you reach the others?”

            “We’re here, but Taako and--.”

            “We? Are you all together? You were supposed to _split up!”_

            “Sorry Carey,” Avi cups his hand around the stone, glancing up at Magnus and jerking his head at the door. Magnus doesn’t understand.

            “Wha…” Avi mouths Taako. “Oh.”

            Magnus checks. “I don’t think they’ve noticed us.”

            Avi nods. “Taako and Kravitz haven’t noticed us. We’re still good to go.”

            Scratching noises come through the stone of Farspeech, along with a yelp. “Did you say Kravitz?” Killian asks. “Like, the golem from Lucas fucking Miller’s lab Kravitz?”

            “Uh...” Avi turns to Magnus, who nods furiously. “Yeah. Magnus says yeah.”

            “What the _fuck?_ How? He was. Pink! And crystally! _”_  

            Merle reaches up and pulls Avi’s hand down so he can talk into the stone. “He just can.”

            “What. The. Shit.”

            “Guys, shut up, I think they’re suspecting something.” Magnus rolls Angus into the crook of his arm and covers Merle’s mouth. Avi, always polite, covers his own.

            Outside, Kravitz pulls back from kissing Taako, swiveling his head from side to side. Magnus can’t hear what the bounty hunter has to say; he can tell by the sudden stiffness in the man’s shoulders, the way his fingers curl at his side. The fact the man’s flesh face melts away to only bone is another strong clue that they’ve been Found Out.

            Taako plucks at Kravitz’s sleeve, cajoling as his boyfriend searches the ground, eyes blazing crimson in the shadows of skull sockets. It strikes Magnus how vulnerable they all are, all gathered into one little shed, where the only way out is also the only way in. The Chance Lance bites into his back as Magnus takes a step back and twists so his bulk shield Angus.

            “On three,” Magnus mumbles, watching Kravitz swivel, Taako following like a binary star.

            “One… two… thr…”

            Magnus doesn’t get to finish. From around the far corner, the one in the direction of the Chug n’ Squeeze, Killian charges. “Why the fuck aren’t you pink?” She bellows, crossbow at the ready.

            Magnus opens the door; tries to. The knob doesn’t move, and a few frantic twists later, Magnus realizes why. “We’re locked in!”

            “Pan damn it.” Merle bangs his head against the door. “Why the fuck…”

            A bang resounds outside, and Avi pales. “Uh, guys, that doesn’t sound…”

            “Shit!” Magnus punches the door; it doesn’t budge. Merle joins in, alternating between banging his head against the door and clawing at the knob. “Fuck, this isn’t working. Where are my… Istus damn it! My thieves tools are in my back pocket… Ango! Can you get them out?”

            “I have another idea sirs!” Angus wiggles until his head pops over Magnus’s shoulder. “I’ve been practicing with the book Sir left me, and I know a--”

            “Just use it, boy wonder! We ain’t got all damn day!”

            Angus yelps, and scrunches his nose. He points a finger at the lock. “Knock!”

            The keyhole flashes; a second later, the door swings open. The group lurches forward from the suddenness, and Magnus is the first to react, dropping Angus behind him and dashing forward, the Chance Lance popping into his hand. Angus shrieks behind him, thumping into the earth as Merle trips over him and falls flat on his face. Avi’s the only other person to clear the road block, sword in hand. “Killian!” Magnus roars.

            He barely hears Taako go “What the fuck?” before Magnus collides full on with Kravitz, sending them both sprawling into the earth on top of Killian. Magnus isn’t sure whose limb is whose or who yanks on his sideburns. They roll over and over, hitting the turf hard. Someone is screaming. No, people are screaming, and before Magnus can get a hold of Kravitz’s face, black tentacles sprout out of the ground and force the three of them apart.

            Magnus ends up dangled by his ankle, Killian by his side. Her tentacle pins her arms to her side, though she’s kept upright, with Carey laced to her back like they’re in some cheap B movie. Avi’s stuck a few feet to the right, stuck to the ground so only his face is visible. Kravitz, in contrast, is merely swept to the side with a confused look on his face. Or as much of a confused look as a skull can manage.

            Taako emerges from the shadows, umbrastaff in hand. “What. the. Fuck.”

            “What the fuck is right, Taako!” Killian thrashes in her tentacle. “Why are you fucking the golem?”

            Angus gasps in the background. Magnus clears his throat. “Hey Killian, again, there’s a---”

            “You know what Magnus?” Killian twists in her tentacle until she can glare right at him. Magnus shrinks. “I don’t care. I’m tied up in some stupid tentacle, I was right about this guy _not_ being a nerd, and I remember what happened in fucking Lucas’s lab. Now is _not_ the time.”

            “He could still prefer suits,” Carey says from behind her girlfriend. “And be powerful.”

            “NOT THE TIME,” Killian roars. She thrashes in her tentacle. “Taako, so help me, if you don’t let me out of here in three seconds, I’m going to ram my foot so far up your--”

            Taako drops Killian and she hits the ground with a thump. She springs to her feet, and another tentacle grabs her. “TAAKO.”

            “I let you out. Quite frankly, I don’t feel safe letting you go right now. I’m sensing a lot of anger…” The elf waves his free hand. “Plus, I’d really prefer it if you didn’t try to kill my boyfriend. I’ve been working hard to get him to be comfortable here.”

            Magnus didn’t know skeletons could blush, but somehow Kravitz manages it when they all turn to look at him. He waves awkwardly. “Hi. Long time no uh. See.”

            “What happened to your voice?” Magnus wiggles against the tentacle, but the black arm won’t release him. “You uh. Sounds different.”

            “Not on the job. Uh.” Kravitz coughs and clears his throat. “Uh.”

            “You can go if you want, bubbale, that’s fine.” Taako flashes a smile at the bounty hunter who returns it. “I’ll set these guys straight.”

  
            Kravitz fixes his tie. Or what’s left of it; half of it is gone, along with half of the buttons on his jacket. It’s an odd sight, to see a skeleton man adjust a tattered suit, but Magnus has seen a lot of shit in his time here. “Uh-huh...”

            Something flies past Angus and collides with Kravitz’s chest. “Don’t worry Sir, I’ll save you!”  

            Angus does about as much damage as a waterlogged kitten on a summer’s day. Mostly, he just manages to send himself and Kravitz back into the tentacles.

            Taako buries his face in his hands. He mutters something that sounds like, “I swear, you’re all morons,” but Magnus can’t tell for sure. He’s too far away and he doesn’t think Taako would be _that_ mean.

            “What I miss?” Merle stumbles over, holding his back. “Did we get ‘em? Make him pay for taking my arm off.”

            “You got ‘em Merle. Totally.” Taako rolls his eyes and pushes Merle into the tentacles, ignoring the dwarf’s outraged yelp. “You can join him too.”

            “Traaaaaitor!” Merle disappears into the tentacles.

            Kravitz gets his head above the sea of tentacles. He also gets Angus free, holding the boy up above the thrashing squid flesh. “Taako, dear, I don’t think this is going to endear...”

            Taako lifts a finger. “Krav, hon. This is already a shitshow. I’m going to do what I want.”

            “Well, all right, but uh... “

            “What?” Taako knocks his hat off his head, then scrambles to catch it to put it back on. “What now?”

            “There’s an older woman behind you looking rather mad.”

            Taako goes still, and so does everyone held inside the tentacles. Only Angus moves, and even then, it’s a stuttering wave of welcome. “Hello Madame Director! What brings you out here Ma’am?”

            The director taps her foot, standing in only a dressing robe and a face mask. “What is going on here?” she demands, hands clenching on her staff.

            Magnus suddenly regrets rushing in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah, thank you all for reading and for commenting! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. We're almost done with our story; one more chapter to go. It should be up in the next few days. 
> 
> Hope y'all have a good day!


	4. And Things Ended Happily Ever After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cat's out of the bag! The investigation crew have to face the music as our tale comes to a close.

**The Verdict:**

           Magnus didn’t know that there were enough folding chairs in the Director’s office to seat eight people, but Davenport provides, muttering to himself all the way. They sit in a straight line, with Taako and Kravitz at the very center. Taako leans on the bounty hunter, hair flowing over the other man’s shoulder as Taako stares half-lidded at their boss. Kravitz, on the other hand, is bright red. He’s pulled his face back up, dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail that exposes the tainted crimson black skin of his face. And his ears. And his neck.

            Avi sits next to Kravitz, sporting a black eye and a confused expression, with Carey and Killian beyond him, bruises all over their arms. Magnus thinks it’s adorable how Carey and Killian hold hands, but he’s not about to tell them that. He doesn’t want to yell over everyone, since he’s sitting to Taako’s left. Merle sits on Magnus’s left, grumbling. Magnus doesn’t know about what; the grumbles are all mumbles, lower than Magnus can hear. The fighter presumes the cleric is complaining about everything, and checks on Angus.

           Angus is the least injured out of everyone. His hat got ripped slightly, but his glasses and his notebook came through fine. The boy sits on the edge of his chair, turning his pencil over and over again as he stares at the floor, lips quivering. Magnus doesn’t get why Angus is upset; after all, Angus did the best work out of all of them. Ango figured out who Kravitz was before everyone else.

           “So,” the Director begins, fingers laced in front of her. “Care to explain why there was a full out brawl between our top three reclaimers, our top two regulators, our top seeker, and…”

           Kravitz squirms when the Director’s gaze falls upon him.

           “....whoever you are…?”

           “This is Kravitz,” Taako sticks his chin into the air. “My boyfriend. He’s new here.”

           “Ah.” Kravitz shakes when the Director eyes him from foot to crown, lips pressed into a thin, fine line. Magnus almost feels sorry for the bounty hunter. Almost. Taako curls closer to his boyfriend, if that’s even possible, eyes sharp under their hooded lids. “Well, while it is nice to meet you, I’m afraid I don’t understand why everything devolved into a scene worthy of....”

           No one wants to finish that sentence. Everyone above the age of fifteen stares awkwardly at each other.  “I expect better from my employees. I don’t know what you were thinking. In fact, I don’t even know if you were thinking.” Angus sobs and the Director pauses. “And I certainly don’t know why you dragged poor Angus here into it. He’s a Seeker, not a fighter. What if he’d been hurt?”

           “We wouldn’t have hurt Ango,” Magnus interjects. He flinches when the Director scowls at him.

           “Indeed, I hope not. And I still haven’t gotten an answer out of anyone. So unless you all want to be fined and have your pay docked…”

           The words hang in the air, sharp as swords. Magnus gulps. While the money isn’t important to--

           “Carey wanted to know why suit boy over here wears suits for some Pan forsaken reason. She and Killian were having an argument.” Merle crosses his arms and slouches in his chair.

           “Snitch! You damn snitch!” Carey’s on top of her chair and yelling over everyone’s head. “It wasn’t an argument, it was a discussion about whether it was power or preference!”

           “Damn enthusiastic discussion then,” Merle shoots back. “You sent Magnus and Angus out on a wild goose chase, and then dragged us all into that meeting room to organize some weird fucking stake out…”

           “Merle, we all did agree to that.” Magnus glances back and forth between Merle and Carey. Killian has a hand on her girlfriend’s back and a black grimace on her face. Avi, on the other hand, scrunches down in his seat and does his best to avoid the flailing tail.

           “And then we got stuck in a shed!”

           “I told you to split up!” Carey shakes her head. “I told you guys to _split up_ not clamber into a shed together. The shed is not my fault.”

           “She’s kinda...” Merle jabs a finger into Magnus’s cheek and Magnus falls silent.

           “Look,” Merle says, leaning down into Magnus’s face. “I’m not taking a paycut because our lovely ladies at the end of the line couldn’t decide whether or not fancy britches over there wears suits because he likes them or because he’s dangerous.”

           “He wears them because they look good,” Taako declares loudly. “And I don’t see why it's any of your business. His clothes are my business. He is _my_ business.”

           Kravitz chokes and hides his face in his hands.  

           “While this is all fascinating, why exactly did it lead to a fight? I’m not understanding the jump from couture to confrontation.”  The Director lays her hands flat on her desk, staring at each and every one of the accused. “Who started the fracas?”

           Killian clears her throat, hands firmly holding Carey in place from leaping at Merle. “I did. I thought he was back after… Lucas’s lab.”

           “Lucas’s lab?”  The Director hides the note of pain under steel, but Magnus can hear it. Feels it too, for she says Lucas the way he says Julia, and that pain never goes away. “I don’t remember you from Candlenights.”

           “He wasn’t um. Helping us ma’am,” Angus mumbles. His words are soft, stretched thin by the earlier tears at being accused of being bad. “We fought against him.”

           Taako waves a hand nonchalantly. “We did patch up. Magnus won a card game, the spirits Lucas summoned were sent home, bounties and deaths smoothed over. So what if we fought a lot...”

           Merle squawks. “He cut my arm off!”

           “Uh, as I recall…” Kravitz shuts up at Merle’s snarl.

           “He’s right Merle, technically, all he did was trick you. I cut your arm off.” Magnus smiles helpfully at Kravitz, giving him a thumbs up.

           The bounty hunter doesn’t know what to do with it; after a pause, he returns the gesture with the stiffness of a mannikin. Magnus grins widely, and throws his arm around Merle. “You can do what you want to Kravitz later. But uh, fighting in front of the Director isn’t the best idea.”

           “Magnus’s right for once. Shocking, I know.” Taako smiles, disentangling himself from Kravitz to lean towards the director. “Krav here’s a good guy. I invited him up here, and he’s not much harm unless you’re breaking some fundamental rules of life and death. And even then, he’s awkwardly polite.”

           “Thank you Taako,” Kravitz mumbles.

           “See? Politest nerd. Just don’t do what Lucas did. Or die, I guess. Dying is bad all around.”

           The Director rubs her temples. “Why do I always want a drink after dealing with you three,” she mutters to herself. “You aren’t with the Bureau.”

           Kravitz hesitates. “No. Most certainly not.”

           “Then who are you with?”

           “The Raven Queen.” Taako exchanges a dirty glare with Magnus and Merle for having crimped his groove by chiming in with him. The elf clears his throat. “But he’s fine with us. Just as long as we don’t end up with a bounty, so no necromancy. Or dying, but that goes without saying.”

           “Uh huh.” The Director sighs, gesturing at Davenport before turning to Kravitz. “How are you even up here? We have measures in place to prevent any non-employee from being able to stay aboard.”

           “If you pardon me, no one can keep Death out.” Magnus waits for a scare chord to follow Kravitz’s words; nothing comes. Instead, Kravitz clears his throat with all the grace of a teenager caught sneaking in at three in the morning and continues. “And well. Taako did invite me.”

           “Yep,” Taako’s the cat who's caught the canary: his eye teeth show in his smirk. “How could I not?”

           Magnus feels marginally better by the fact Kravitz’s blush has never faded one iota during this conversation. If anything, it just gets deeper.

           “Well. That is. Well then.” Davenport marches up to the desk carrying a bottle of wine and a glass. The director takes both and fills the glass to the top. “Thank you, Davenport.”

           “Davenport!” The gnome bows and flounces off, tray tucked beneath his arm.

           The director drinks deeply. “Well. I don’t think I’ve been this speechless in _quite_ a long time, but you three...” She gestures at Magnus, Merle, and Taako. “Tend to bring that out in me. I’m almost afraid to ask what will happen next.” She shakes her head, grumbling under her breath. “Dating Death or. Whatever you are.”

           Kravitz shuffles in his seat, his fingers plucking at his sleeves. “Grim Reaper is acceptable parlance.”

           The Director doesn’t respond to that. She just takes a long, long sip of her wine and turns to Carey and Killian. “Your answer is both. Now with that said...”

 

**The Fallout:**  

           They don’t bother Taako about Kravitz. Much. Maybe.  Actually, they bother him a lot. After the Director throws them out of her office with a clear admonishment that if they fight again they won’t get paid for a year, the entire group surrounds Taako and Kravitz for a healthy session of twenty questions and “if you hurt him’s”. But soon enough, everyone disperses. Magnus takes Angus back to his room and Merle wanders off to do whatever he does late at night. Avi takes a moment to congratulate Taako before he too walks away, back to the hangar. If he’s gulping down alcohol from his flask while he goes, no one comments on it.

           No one asks were Taako and Kravitz disappear to. No one wants to know what they’re getting up to, now that things have been cleared up.

           They leave Carey and Killian standing alone on the Quad, with the real moon high above. “So,” Carey says as she stares up into the sky.  “I guess you were right about Kravitz.”

           “Nah.” Killian grins, thumbing her nose. “Did you see how much he was blushing in there? I’ve seen virgins who blush less.” They laugh, huddling together. The Base is finally cool, now that night has settled in.

           “Do you think Taako’s going to be mad?”

           Killian shrugs. “He can deal. If he really wanted Kravitz to be a secret, he could have been more covert.”

           “I don’t think Taako does covert.”

           “He doesn’t.” Killian chuckles, draping her arm around Carey’s waist. “Though I think Taako did have a good idea tonight.”

           “Yeah?” Carey leans into her girlfriend’s side, snuggling in close to the warmth with a sigh. She curls her arm around Killian, holding her close. “What’s that?”

           “Going somewhere private. We deserve some relaxation time after this bullshit.”

           Carey grins, her hand sneaking into Killian’s as she leans up to brush a kiss to her girlfriend’s cheek. “You’re right. We’ve spent enough time arguing about Taako. Let’s go do something fun.”

           “That’s an excellent idea. I know just the placed,” Killian says, and they walk off together, mystery solved.

**The End.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aha, that's all she wrote. I hope everyone enjoyed this last chapter and that it lives up to the hype. 
> 
> I want to take a moment to thank my friends Mish and Kris, who read this story as I was writing it and helped me with editing it. They helped me gather the courage to post it too. Thank you to both of you for dealing with my panics. 
> 
> I also want to take this moment to thank everyone who read, commented, and left kudos. When I started posting this fic, I never anticipated the response that it's garnered over this past week. I don't post very many stories, and I'm touched at how positively this fic has been received. 
> 
> So from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you to each and every one of you. May you all be safe and happy in these interesting times.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, that's it for Chapter One, folks. The next chapter should be up in a few days. As a note, I've listened up to episode 54 of The Suffering Game, and this fic runs on the premise that our heroes make it out alive with most of themselves intact. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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